Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 158: Sisi's True Face

Tang Wanzhuang, who was known for her calm and graceful demeanor, was probably experiencing her first bout of rage in her entire life. Zhao Changhe watched helplessly as she grabbed Dragon Bird from beside the bed and stormed out the door toward Tang Buqi. She kicked him sending him tumbling, then used Dragon Bird like the door panel it was and delivered a resounding smack to Tang Buqi’s ass. “He tells you not to knock, he tells you to call him uncle, and you listen?! Who told you that this guy is your uncle?!”

Tang Buqi screamed: “I was wrong, I was wrong! I understand! Aunt, you care about face! He isn’t my uncle, he isn’t my uncle!.”

Tang Wanzhuang was furious, “Who told you that it’s because I care about face?”

“Ah, I was wrong, you don’t care about face...”

Smack! Smack! Smack!

Amid Tang Buqi’s cries of agony, Zhao Changhe finally closed his mouth, which had been gaping for what seemed like ages.

What a genius. If you don’t get beaten, who will?

Hm? Why does it feel as if this aunt has been bullying this nephew since he was a child? She’s so skilled at it...

He wanted to intervene but did not know how to. In the end, he could only say, “Stop hitting him. You aren’t well. What if you tire yourself out...”

Tang Buqi: “...”

I’m the one who’s being beaten, yet she’s the one you’re worried about? And you still dare to call yourself my uncle!

Tang Wanzhuang really did get exhausted from beating her nephew. She leaned on the saber, panting heavily as she coughed, “Tell me, what did your father say for you to barge in like that?”

“Dad said that the saber is probably the Dragon Bird of the Great Xia, and brother Zhao is probably...” Tang Buqi covered his head, cautiously glancing at his aunt. “So I came to confirm it, but it looks like there’s no need for that anymore.”

Tang Wanzhuang was almost driven to death by anger. She coughed violently for a long time, unable to speak.

Zhao Changhe could not help but wonder if her condition had been in fact caused by the idiots in her family...

He could only say: “Nephew... Er, I mean, brother Tang, this saber is indeed Dragon Bird. Please help keep it a secret. Besides, being able to use Dragon Bird does not mean that I have any special status. Look, even your aunt can use it. Don’t jump to conclusions...”

My aunt is the head of the Demon Suppression Bureau, and she carries the aura of the Great Xia. There’s nothing strange about Dragon Bird recognizing her? But what about you?

Tang Buqi felt like he had a stomach full of words but dared not speak any of them. It seemed like anything he said at the moment would only end up causing him to get beaten up.

Anyway, the saber is indeed Dragon Bird, and you’re the prince. Isn’t it normal for my aunt to be close to you? This should be a joyous occasion for the family. But what right do I have to say anything? I’m just a poor nephew who suddenly has an uncle who is younger than me, and I even have to endure the beatings of my aunt.

Tang Buqi felt aggrieved, and it took him a while to gather himself before finally saying, “There aren’t many who can recognize this saber. If my dad had not told me, I wouldn’t have been able to tell. And as long as I don’t tell them, most others wouldn’t know either.”

“Alright, I believe that the Tang Clan will handle this matter appropriately,” Zhao Changhe sighed. “Come in and sit down.”

Tang Wanzhuang glanced at him but ultimately did not say anything. She tiredly brought the saber back into the room and sat on the table.

Tang Buqi cautiously followed in and sat on the chair opposite her at the table, his buttocks still sore from being smacked just now.

“Brother Tang,” Zhao Changhe suddenly called out.

Hearing him speak in such a formal tone, Tang Buqi looked at him in surprise.

But then Zhao Changhe continued, “I understand the anxiety that parents feel when they see their daughter of marriageable age still unmarried, and I understand the desire to find a suitable match for her, as well as the desire to seize an opportunity to benefit the family... However, Tang Wanzhuang is not an ordinary person. She supports not only your entire clan, but also the empire... The Tang Clan should not, and does not have the right to, force her to do anything.”

Tang Buqi said hurriedly, “We never forced her to do anything...”

Zhao Changhe acted as if he had not heard anything and continued, “The Tang Clan should not take advantage of her filial and kind-hearted character. If someone like me, a lawless bandit, were in her place, I would have definitely had a falling out with the clan a long time ago. But every one of you wants to take charge; just who do you think you are? Never mind being unmarried at twenty-eight, even if she were unmarried at eighty-two, it’s none of your business!”

Tang Buqi: “...”

“I’m not saying that I have such status, but even if I did, I would refuse such political marriages. No matter how you see me, please kindly convey my words to your old man.”

Tang Buqi found it extremely strange. You’re not wrong, but with you having just acted the way you did, are you just trying to evade responsibility now?

But looking at his aunt’s expression, she was actually smiling. Her beautiful eyes glanced over at Zhao Changhe with appreciation.

You actually appreciate it when someone eats you up but doesn’t want to own up to it? Forget it, when it comes to elders’ affairs, juniors shouldn’t interfere.

Tang Buqi sighed helplessly and said, “Alright, I’ll convey your words to my dad.”

“That’s good,” Zhao Changhe chuckled. “I must say, eldest nephew... Er, brother Tang, the way you stood against the vicious sword was truly impressive.”

Tang Buqi snorted and said, “It’s just a clump of sword qi, what’s so great about it?! I just haven’t cultivated enough. If my cultivation were a bit higher, you wouldn’t have even gotten the chance to show off!”

“Alright, alright, do you dare to go out by yourself next time?”

Tang Buqi was startled, then suddenly chuckled, “The matters here are pretty much settled. I’ll be heading north soon. I suddenly feel like there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“Once you see more of the world, you’ll find that a lot of things aren’t actually that special,” said Zhao Changhe with a smile. “I look forward to meeting you again in the jianghu someday. I feel like it would be quite an interesting scene.”

Tang Buqi fell silent for a moment before saying softly, “Sure enough, if I don’t knock on the door, you treat me as a friend.”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

Tang Wanzhuang: “...”

Bang!

The door was blown open as Tang Wanzhuang grabbed her nephew’s ear and threw him out the door. “Go and focus on your training! You’re not allowed out unless you break through to the fifth layer of the Profound Gate within ten days! In ten days, I’ll assess your swordsmanship. If I find you lacking even a bit, you’ll have to face the wall at the rear mountain for a year!”

“We don’t have a rear mountain anymore...” Tang Buqi’s sighing voice was already far away.

Finally, the room quieted down. Zhao Chang and Tang Wanzhuang looked at each other and they both suddenly chuckled.

Zhao Changhe asked, “So you’re planning to stay here for the next ten days?”

“Well, with everything going on here, I don’t even know if ten days will be enough to handle them all.”

“Then you should go and attend to those matters. My injuries are just superficial. I’ll be fine after a bit of rest. You don’t need to keep wasting your time here.”

“Is it really a waste of time, though?” Tang Wanzhuang smiled faintly. “If I had not come here, how would I have heard your words about the Tang Clan?”

“...In fact, it was just a more polite way of saying no to an unmarried twenty-year-old lady, right? Ultimately, it’s still a refusal.”

Tang Wanzhuang smiled and said, “I’m still a lady. Which lady would want to hear hurtful words rather than pleasant ones?”

Zhao Changhe did not further pursue this topic and instead said, “When Tang Buqi said that there’s no rear mountain anymore, didn’t you feel that the Tang Clan was showing signs of decline? Even Tang Buqi, who is generally carefree, is filled with worries for the clan, and yet you can still smile like this...”

“Buqi’s transformation was due to his loyalty and dedication for the glory of the Tang Clan. That was what allowed him to even stand against the ancient vicious sword. While others might see the state of the Tang Clan as a state of decline, I see it as the beginning of the Tang Clan’s resurgence,” Tang Wanzhuang said softly. “This had to happen at some point, and right now is a perfect time.”

Zhao Changhe stared at her intently without saying a word.

This encounter was the first time that he had seen Tang Wanzhuang truly act like the head of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

“The Tang Clan owes you a great deal for your assistance this time. Without you, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Whether you did it for the people of Gusu or for your friend Tang Buqi, I now owe you a favor,” Tang Wanzhuang said. She then took out a blood-red bead and continued, “This is the treasure that Maitreya threw into the pond. It’s probably helpful to you, but you may be a little disappointed.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “No worries, it’s just a little gift anyway. Even if it was just a copper coin, I wouldn’t mind.”

Tang Wanzhuang smiled and said, “It’s not that bad... However, you should recover from your injuries first before you start playing with it. Otherwise, it may end up being detrimental to your blood and qi.”

After saying that, she placed the bead on the bedside table. “I’m afraid that I’ve disturbed your private time with Miss Sisi. I shall not intrude on your time any further. I’ll come visit you when I have the chance again, Mister Zhao.”

As Tang Wanzhuang left, the room that had been bustling just moments before suddenly quieted down.

Zhao Changhe welcomed the silence, closing his eyes to recuperate, paying no attention to the bead on the bedside table.

He did not need to even look at it, he could sense the intense bloodthirst contained within the bead. It was definitely not suitable for him to tinker with it when his blood and qi were still weak due to his injuries.

Seriously, with people coming and going like this, it only ends up delaying my recovery... If they want me to recover quickly, then I’d rather have them come and dual cultivate with me. They speak of owing favors, yet refuse to do any heavy lifting.

Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly caught a whiff of a fragrance. It was a scent that he had never smelled before.

Zhao Changhe opened his eyes.

A stunningly beautiful girl dressed in foreign attire stood beside him. She had an expressionless face as he examined him, her eyes seeming to say, “She didn’t even tie the bandage properly either. Should I just wrap him up like a dumpling again?”

Her eyes not only seemed to be able to speak, but they also seemed to carry a hint of flirtatiousness, with a hidden charm as they flickered and expressed admiration and tenderness.

Even though she was not doing anything, her natural charm that could deeply captivate anyone simply oozed out of her.

Her face did not have any pockmarks or skin damage that she claimed to have. It was fair as jade, crystal clear, and slightly flushed, like plum blossoms in the snow.

Paired with her foreign attire, the rope around her waist from which jades hung and swayed, and the tinkling of bells at the hem of her skirt, she was just like an ethereal fairy.

Zhao Changhe stared blankly, momentarily at a loss for words.

There was no need for introductions. He instantly knew that this was Sisi.

I didn’t expect to see Sisi’s true face so suddenly... If Tang Wanzhuang embodies the elegance of the divine land, then Sisi embodies the allure of foreign lands.

If you’re so beautiful, then why the hell did you make yourself look like an ordinary maid?